Janet Susan Scharr Gochberg, age 59, of Canton, Connecticut, died peacefully at Hartford Hospital on Wednesday, March 9th. The cause of death was gastroesophageal cancer. She leaves a daughter, Katelin Gochberg; a mother and father, Marlene and Jerome Scharr; a sister, Elizabeth Scharr; a brother, Michael Scharr, and his wife, Julie Scharr; and two nieces, Alison Sjoberg and Amanda Sears, and their families. Janet was born on February 1st, 1963, and had an idyllic childhood in West Hartford, Connecticut filled with a plethora of love, neighborhood-wide hide-and-seek games, and good mischief. Her subtle, clever, light-hearted, and ticklish sense of humor was apparent from the start. She attended West Hartford public schools, Loomis Chaffee, and graduated from Hall High School, where she played soccer, tennis, and pretty much any sport that she could. True to her independent spirit, she completed all, but her final credit required to graduate from the University of Hartford, taking with her the education if not the degree. She followed her passion for photography and creatively supported various family business pursuits. Janet was a devoted mother, caring not only for her own daughter, but all who crossed her path. Many of her daughter’s friends looked to her for love, guidance, and nurturing, and she was known as a second mother to all. Above all, she was devoted to her family and close friends. She was the kind of person who for over fifty years consistently supported her special needs sister, the kind of daughter who made sure that her home had a special bedroom set aside just for when her parents would visit; the kind of friend who would reveal private personal details if it might help in counseling others, or one that would drop everything to look after a friend’s child and buy them a special present on her way; and an impeccable mother who loved her daughter with her entire soul, and then some. Janet immersed herself in every community that she was a part of, serving so actively on the Board of Trustees at The Country School of Madison, CT that the Head of School described her as “a force of nature.” She also served as a youth group leader at Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek of Chester, CT. She found joy and peace in being outdoors, especially on the beach in Martha’s Vineyard or in her garden. She was most content while listening to the Grateful Dead with her daughter, Katelin, and best friend, Kelly Spangler, enjoying a Quad Venti nonfat Latte or Caffè Americano with her friends at Starbucks, and making the people around her feel as though they were the center of the universe. Funeral services will be held at Congregation Beth Shalom Rodfe Zedek, located at 55 East Kings Hwy., Chester, CT, at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 13. The service will also be live-streamed. The services will be followed by a Shiva or a time of visitation for family and friends at Janet and Katelin’s home in Canton, CT from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 13; Monday, March 14; and Tuesday, March 15. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Jewish Association for Community Living, The Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center, or Palliative Care at Hartford Hospital. Lastly, Janet would like to thank Dr. Timothy Hong, Nurse Jennifer Dupuis, and all of the amazing nurses and staff at The Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center in Avon and Hartford, CT. They took incredible care of Janet and treated her like family. All those who loved her are incredibly grateful.
Contributions:
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Jewish Association for Community Living, The Helen and Harry Gray Cancer Center, or Palliative Care at Hartford Hospital.
Shiva:
The services will be followed by a Shiva or a time of visitation for family and friends at Janet and Katelin’s home in Canton, CT from 4 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, March 13; Monday, March 14; and Tuesday, March 15.
